Panthers practice squad players remain ready at a moment’s notice. Who are these guys?
Just because the Panthers set their 53-man roster this week doesn’t mean general manager Scott Fitterer is done tinkering.
Take safety Kenny Robinson, for example. Carolina cut Robinson on Tuesday, then signed him to the practice squad Wednesday. A league source confirmed he was cut again Thursday.
Such is life on the margins in the NFL. The Panthers aren’t done making roster moves. Expect Fitterer to keep tinkering. The team is interested in a defensive lineman, possibly an edge rusher who can adequately defend the run.
“I think we are going to be active there and keep looking,” Fitterer said about adding a defensive lineman. “We’ve been impressed with (Amare) Barno. He does a lot of things naturally. He has so much bend to him. We like the guys here, but we’ll probably add one more guy. We just cannot force it.”
That means the practice will remain in flux. But there are a handful of names who should remain in Carolina for most of the season, players who remained on the roster through the cut down to 80 players and cleared waivers on Wednesday.
Though these players are not household names, the team values their presence and ability to give their first team units formidable looks during scout-team sessions. And at a moments notice, these players must be ready in case of a last-minute activation and promotion to the main roster.
Last season, a majority of the Panthers’ initial practice squad players eventually saw regular-season action, largely due to injuries to the main roster.
Here is a rundown of the Panthers practice squad:
Offense
▪ QB Jacob Eason
The team signed Eason on Wednesday. The former Georgia and Washington quarterback practiced in Carolina on Thursday after being cut by Seattle on Tuesday.
“He’s been here all of three hours,” quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan said after Thursday’s practice.
Standing 6-foot-6, Eason can’t be missed. He spent his first day as a Panthers standing near quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. It’s unclear how long Eason will be on the team. Sam Darnold is out at least four weeks after the team placed him on injured reserve on Thursday.
▪ C Sam Tecklenburg
The Panthers are deep across the offensive line. Tecklenburg provides an emergency center option, which proved necessary last season. Tecklenburg appeared in 15 games last season. He played 131 offensive snaps and 55 on special teams.
▪ TE Colin Thompson
Thompson appeared in 12 games and started two last season. He was the odd man out of a tight end room that has a lot to prove this season. He could very well end up on the active roster again at some point.
▪ TE Josh Babicz
Babicz was signed when the Panthers were dealing with multiple tight end injuries. Ian Thomas missed the bulk of the preseason with an rib injury. Thompson and Stephan Sullivan both missed extended time throughout training camp as well.
▪ OL Deonte Brown
It was a long shot for Brown to make the team when Carolina drafted Cade Mays at No. 199 this offseason. Brown was a sixth-round pick last year out of Alabama. His 6-5 and 330-pound frame will always intrigue fans and evaluators.
But Brown was not in his best playing shape and struggled in pass protection during extended preseason action.
▪ WR Ra’Shaun Henry
There is reason to believe Henry will stick with the Panthers. He can really run. Henry recorded a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. That type of speed helps keep receivers on the field. Henry also notched an impressive 17.7 yards-per-catch average last season. He averaged 50 yards per game as a senior and scored three touchdowns.
During training camp, he showcased his unique athleticism several times. He’s capable of winning at the catch point and threatening defenders deep.
▪ RB John Lovett
Lovett did not earn much run this preseason. When he did, there were flashes. But the crowded running back room did not provide many opportunities. Carolina signed him to the practice squad to challenge the defense.
▪ WR Derek Wright
Wright scored 16 touchdowns in college last year, which ranked 16th in the nation, and made 48 catches for 789 yards. He was a walk-on at Utah State and went on to have a successful college career. Last season he showcased his explosiveness by making receptions of 41, 38, 25, 46, 41, 27, and 76 yards. He also scored multiple touchdowns in four different games
His nose for the end zone showed during camp. He caught several impressive touchdowns. Most notably he scored twice during the joint practices with New England while working with the first team.
▪ WR C.J Saunders
Saunders was an early favorite of Baker Mayfield’s during training camp. He was working in the slot with the first team until he hurt this calf. The injury kept him out about three weeks.
Saunders lost the No. 1 slot spot to Shi Smith while he was recovering.
The former Ohio State Buckeye will make practice squad plays until his next regular-season opportunity comes.
Defense
▪ S Juston Burris
The veteran safety appeared in 10 games and started in eight last season. Since Kenny Robinson was cut, Burris would be one of the first players active in case of an injury to the secondary.
▪ CB Madre Harper
Harper played in three games for Carolina last season. There is a chance he made the practice squad as a result of seventh-round rookie Kalen Barnes signing with Miami after Carolina cut him.
▪ DE Austin Larkin
Larkin had an impactful preseason. He’ll prove valuable upfront if the team does not sign an additional defensive lineman soon.
▪ CB Tae Haye
Haye was signed for depth as the Panthers dealt with a bunch of cornerback injuries. He made the most of his opportunity. Most notably his pick-six against New England helped him land on the practice squad.
▪ DE Drew Jordan
Jordan lasted on the Panthers roster until the very end. He’s an interesting young edge rusher that could see time on the main roster eventually.
At Duke University, Jordan recorded 9.0 sacks, 13.0 tackles for a loss and four fumble recoveries over 40 games.
▪ LB Arron Mosby
Mosby earned a lot of reps while veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson sat out of training camp. Thompson was recovering from a minor offseason knee surgery.
